Paul Christiansen

in Dishcovery

Huế's Palm-Sized Bánh Mì Chuột Is the Perfect Snack for Nibbling While Walking

Huế's culinary landscape is designed for snacking. From bánh khoái to bánh bèo to  chè bột lọc heo quay , many of the...

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: 3 Hào, a Retro Industrial Cafe in D7 for Night Owls on Deadlines

What do you think of when imagining a cafe? For me, it's plants in every corner, small and cute paintings that adorn the walls, or a light- and neutral-colored space that brings a sense of peace to customers. What would happen if a coffee shop attempted to subvert most of these elements? This is the case of 3 Hào Cafe, a combination of vintage industrial ambiance and, of course, good drinks.

Khôi Phạm

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

5 Saigon Coffee Shops Based in Buildings With Southern Modernist Architecture

Saigon is a cafe enthusiast’s paradise. A decades-old coffee culture fostered by previous generations is still alive and well, in addition to the latest global trends brought over by the younger generation of baristas. When it comes to interior styles and vibes, there’s a little something for everyone, from gritty industrial to spartan Japandi chic to Saigon’s very own southern modernist architecture.

Paul Christiansen

in Vietnam Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: A Bún Bò in Huế That Rivals Even Saigon's Best Bún Bò Huế

Plastic stools circling low metal tables. Staff wearing pajamas and street clothes that match patrons welcomed from all walks of life. Meagre and/or mismatched decor. Views of street traffic with motorbike engines as soundtrack. Brief menus sometimes consisting of a single dish. A strict cash-only policy (until recent years, at least). Minimal concern for health-safety regulations. No artifice of chef as artist or meal as a masterpiece. While we can quibble over a specific, all-encompassing definition for streetfood restaurant, there are many qualities most will agree they share.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Chè Lâm Vinh Mậu Anchors the Last Remaining Hoa Vestiges of D1

Whenever I come back to Vietnam, it is a personal ritual of mine to visit locales of the past. As clichéd as it sounds, as I have been abroad in Singapore for six years, returning to Vietnam is almost synonymous with returning to places that once shaped my past selves, whose presence has been fading in my mind.

Khôi Phạm

in Dishcovery

A Tale of Three Chè Bột Lọc Heo Quay, Central Vietnam's Unique Savory Dessert

Why am I so obsessed with chè bột lọc heo quay?

Xuân Phương

in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks

Ngõ Nooks: Bodacious Bún Riêu Ốc Bò at Hanoi's 25-Year-Old Bún Bình Huyền

On the transient days when Hanoi’s weather morphs from winter to summer, the monsoon winds carry with them the drizzles of an in-between time. This cool climate evokes within me a yearning for some warm steam from boiling vats of soup stock, so on a rare chilly morning, I wandered around and stopped by Triệu Việt Vương Street for a distinctly morning treat in Hanoi.

Back Eat & Drink

in Food Culture

Seeking Out Saigon’s Best Banh Mi

Like other Vietnamese staples, finding the best of any one dish in a nearly impossible task. Even if one is able to find what they deem to be the best, others will surely disagree. Even so, in a recen...

in Food Culture

A Look at Some of Vietnam's Bug-Based Delicacies

Cultures around the world have included protein-rich insects as part of their diets for thousands of years. While the practice has almost disappeared in the West, insects are still as popular as ever ...

in Food Culture

Vietnamese Dishes with French Origins

Though the French occupiers are long gone, elements of their culture still exist in both Vietnamese language and society. One of the most obvious examples of this is Vietnamese cuisine which has a num...

in Food Culture

Australian Wine Dinner With The Yalumba Winery

What happens when you put together amazing food, great wines, excellent customer service and a fantastic host? Well the answer is that you feel in heaven, and that was how most, if not all, of us felt...

in Food Culture

Breadwinners: 10 of Saigon's Best Loaves

Being Filipino, I was raised eating fried rice and over easy eggs for breakfast. Pan de sal, the bread of choice for Filipinos, was something that was only sold at Goldilocks which was a good 45 minut...

in Food Culture

Free Christmas Dinner @ deciBel

I have never been a religious person, so after my ‘lovely’ older brother decided to show off his cleverness by telling me that Santa Claus did not actually exist, my magical world was shattered and I ...

in Food Culture

Sava: An Epicurean’s Paradise in District 2

Sava the Gourmet is located in a beautiful villa located in the heart of district 2. Although the company used to focus on wholesale products, it has recently extended its retail arm, bringing gourmet...

in Food Culture

How to Use Fish Sauce (Nước Mắm) in Western Dishes

While fish sauce is a staple in many Asian countries, in the West, most prefer its cousin, ketchup. To break down some culinary walls, Asian food expert, Andrea Nguyen just published a great article i...

in Food Culture

Special Delivery: Takeaway.com Acquires Vietnammm.com

Vietnammm, one of Vietnam’s most popular online delivery sites, has been acquired by Takeaway.com, a global leader in the industry. The move signals the Dutch company’s first move outside of Europe wh...

in Food Culture

Video: Local YouTuber Gives Away Free Ice Cream to Saigon Commuters

Troy Nguyen runs a YouTube channel dedicated to Vietnam. While most of his videos focus on his travels and interesting aspects of Vietnamese culture, every now and then, he sets out to help the people...

in Food Culture

The Best Pho in Vietnam?

With thousands of pho shops across Vietnam, determining the best in the country seems like an impossible task. In fact, for any Vietnamese food, we would hesitate to crown a restaurant 'best of' since...

in Food Culture

Master Chef - Gastronomy Competition @ Mc Sorley's

Food lovers and amateurs chefs with a passion for sharing their favourite food and recipes should not miss Mc Sorley's event “Master Chef.”  It is a gastronomy competition, where teams of 4 memb...

in Food Culture

Ben Thanh is One of the World's Best Food Markets: USA Today

American newspaper, USA Today, just published their list of the "Best food markets around the world" in which Saigon's own Ben Thanh Market ranked 15th. Along with fake DVDs and tourist nik naks, the ...

Brian Letwin

in Food Culture

[Video] Celebrity Chef Anthony Bourdain in Vietnam

Gordon Ramsay isn't the only celebrity chef obsessed with Vietnam. But unlike Ramsay, New York chef, Anthony Bourdain, has a surprisingly close connection to Vietnam, cultivated over many visits since...

Brian Letwin

in Food Culture

Video: The Perfect Cafe Sữa Nóng?

Yes, we know that Saigonese take their cafe sữa with đá (ice) and that the background music is from Thailand. Nonetheless, this playful video by food videographer, Eric Slatkin is well done and worth ...

in Food Culture

Free Food Tuesday 'Arancini' @ deciBel

It all started innocently enough. It was about 6 months ago when the deciBel guys and a group of friends, after complaining that it was often too complicated to match working schedules to arrange a di...

Brian Letwin

in Food Culture

Video: Gordon Ramsay Explores Vietnam and its Cuisine

Gordon Ramsay has made it clear that Vietnamese cuisine is on the top of his list. His love was on full display in the most recent season of Master Chef US, where he tasked the final 5 contestants to ...

Brian Letwin

in Food Culture

London Restaurant Trademarks ‘Pho.’ Social Media Battle Ensues.

It may be hard to comprehend how a company can trademark a word as generic as ‘Pho.’ Apparently the British Intellectual Property Office disagrees as 6 years ago, they allowed a glitzy London chain, ‘...

in Food Culture

Free Barbecue Sunday @ Saigon Outcast

Sharing is in the air in Saigon and I like it, especially if the sharing in question is about food.  The crew at Saigon Outcast invites you on Sunday to a free BBQ (limited, first come first ser...

Brian Letwin

in Food Culture

Vernissage @ Shop 100%

Shop 100% is a great new shop that just opened in D2. It prides itself on being able to trace the sources of its produce to ensure that they are 100% organic. In addition, they are supporting Vietname...